Nine students from the College of Arts and Sciences were among 19 Huskers who presented research and creative projects April 3 to fellow students, faculty, and staff during the 2025 Mini-Symposium for First Year Research Experience students.
Each fall, Undergraduate Research and Fellowships staff match eligible first-year undergraduates with faculty mentors to conduct a research or creative project. Participation in undergraduate research and first-year experiences are both considered high-impact practices for undergraduate education by the American Association of Colleges and Universities. The FYRE program combines both practices, ensuring that first-year students build social connections with faculty mentors and researchers while gaining first-hand knowledge of how Nebraska’s research innovations contribute to solving global challenges.
CAS presenters by name, major(s), and faculty mentor(s):
- Ruqiah Al-Ramahy, biological sciences, Rajib Saha
- Trecie Bosa, psychology, Ian Keesey
- Ben Hoover, biochemistry and psychology, Kurt Piepenbrink
- Mimi Mimi, biochemistry, Colin Meiklejohn
- Jason Nunez, political science and Spanish, Emira Ibrahimpasic
- Jacki Petrow, environmental and sustainability studies, and political science, Emira Ibrahimpasic
- Corinthia Sanders, communication studies (pre-law), Satveer Kaur
- Eh Ta Taw, finance and global studies, Emira Ibrahimpasic
- Handsone Tong, chemistry, Michael Burton
Additional CAS students who completed the FYRE program:
- Noor Hammad, biological sciences (pre-dentistry), Katie Eichhorn
- Macey Moore, microbiology and forensic science, Nicole Buan
- Jesse Stebbing, physics, Xia Hong
- KayLei Svendsen, psychology, Yingying Wang
- Olivia Walker, Physics, Susan Vanderplas
- Lauren Winn, psychology (pre-physician assistant), Yingying Wang
The mini-symposium theme, “Cultivating a Growth Mindset,” reflects the FYRE program’s commitment to providing enriching research opportunities that foster curiosity, creativity, resilience, adaptability and reflection on the value of the first-year experience. In addition to the mini-symposium, FYRE students participate in monthly skill-building workshops and complete a professional development program facilitated by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships and the TRIO/Student Support Services Program.
Chanasei Ziemann, STEM-POWER project coordinator for the School of Biological Sciences, co-lead FYRE student advising and activities. Ziemann, a 2024 graduate in biological sciences, also recently published her Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences (UCARE) work.
“We provide Huskers with a supportive space to share their research and professional development achievements,” Ioanna Kipourou, graduate assistant (CEHS) and FYRE co-leader, said. “The mini-symposium celebrates their hard work toward growth and prepares students for their future research presentations. It’s also a day to look back and reflect on their first year as college students, researchers and scholars.”
Research provides experiential growth through development, opportunity and curiosity, especially for first-generation students, said Marianna Burks, assistant professor of practice in biological sciences and co-director of the STEM-POWER program. “It has been amazing to see what these students have accomplished in one year.”
Amy Goodburn, senior associate vice chancellor, dean of undergraduate education and professor of English, agreed.
“It was thrilling to see the quality of our FYRE students’ discovery and learning at this year’s symposium,” she said. “Our faculty and Undergraduate Research and Fellowship staff have done an excellent job in guiding these first-year students to foster curiosity, resilience and critical thinking through the power of academic mentorship.”
The event was hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships and the TRIO/Student Support Services Program. The FYRE employment is supported by federal work-study, the TRIO/Student Support Services Program or the STEM-POWER program.
